Hi There! Its another Tasty Tuesday, and I have a hearty and delicious pasta dish for you today! Cavatini! This is a fan favorite in my house, and I have been making it over 20 years! I have taken it to group studies and rehearsals and sent it as a hearty comfort food, and of course the gentlemen in my house love it! Nothing like a hot and hearty pasta dish on a cold winter night! What makes the Cavatini such a crowd favorite is that there are two kinds of meat in it… ground beef and pepperoni! That’s like getting 2 candy bars in your lunch box at my house! And then you layer it up with all kinds of cheesy goodness, and its just ridiculous, its so yummy!

But before we begin, I want to thank my dear friend Maribeth for these beautiful pictures! She is about as busy as they come with homeschooling and her many areas of volunteering, as well as her job. And yet she finds time to help with these incredible photos. Maribeth is a perfectionist and is so creative. Her sense of presentation is phenomenal, as well as her understanding of light and color. The amazing thing is that she has honed and crafted and experimented and basically taught herself all of these amazing photography skills. She is so gifted! If you would like to see more of Maribeth’s work, or for an inquiry, you can reach her at Maribeth Schmidt Photography. 

And now, lets begin!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 lb pepperoni, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 jar/can mushrooms, sliced and drained
• 1 32 oz jar spaghetti sauce (I like Prego)
• 1 lb box of pasta noodles (choose a smaller noodle, or 2 kinds of smaller noodles- I use penne or mostaccioli)
• 8 oz grated Mozzarella cheese
• 12 slices of Provolone cheese
• Parmesan Cheese
• Optional- can add in green pepper chopped

Preheat oven to 400°

Bring pot of water to boil.

Add in your pasta and cook just until noodles are tender.

Brown ground beef in frying pan

While this is cooking, slice your pepperoni and throw it in with the meat.

Add in garlic.

Add in your onion and mushroom. Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Scoop meat in a colander/strainer and let the fat drain.

Pour sauce into a large saucepan, put on medium heat, add the drained meat/onions to the sauce.

Stir the meat/sauce.

When the pasta is cooked, put in colander/strainer to drain.

Now the assembly can begin! Take a 9×13 pan, and put a little sauce in the bottom.

Now put on a layer of noodles (1/2 of the noodles)

Now a nice hearty layer of sauce.

Now six slices of the Provolone.

Now sprinkle with Mozzarella and Parmesan.

Now a repeat… the rest of the noodles…

A layer of sauce… (will it fit? I ask myself this every time… yes it will fit)

Another layer of 6 pieces of Provolone… (Oooh That is heavy!)

And one more layer of the shredded cheese and parmesan! Bake in the oven till it heats through and the cheese on top is just beginning to get golden brown.

Oh yes! Just what the doctor ordered!

Dinner’s ready! My husband always says “You can’t work like a horse if you eat like a bird!” No worry of that tonight!

There’s plenty for everyone!

This will put a little coal in the furnace!

Bread… nothing like some delicious bread with your pasta!

Just that perfect combo of a thick crust and soft inside!

And maybe a little salad or some crisp veggies!

This plate is for you!

We’ll have a lovely conversation!

And plenty of leftovers for tomorrow!

I picked the word “Hearty” for today’s recipe because to me, I think of something that really satiates your hunger. But just because I was curious, I looked it up! Hearty gets used in many different ways, but for food it says: abundant, rich or flavorful enough to satisfy the appetite.

When we come home hungry after a hard day, I think a nice hot supper served with love and compassion satiates a hunger in the soul almost as much as in the tummy. My husband told me that a warm meal makes you begin to feel human again. That is one of the most beautiful things about home, is that its a place you can come to feel human again, to feel loved and valued. A smile, and talking about your day begins to replenish and heal the wear and tear the day has had on you. You can feel it around the table. And as the tired weary souls come walking in the door whatever time it is they roll in, you see it in their eyes… I’m home! Even if its a table of one… walking in that door, that respite, and preparing a tasty and satiating dinner is like an antidote to stress. That is important and valuable for everyone. Its kind of like a hug and a pat on the back that you are going to be ok!

I hope you have a fantastic week! I’ll be back Friday for another Fashion Friday!

Love Always,

Amy

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand, and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”   ~Edith Sitwell